Concisely defined as “unmerited favor” (Right now, right at this moment, the eternal, invisible, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent Spirit of God whose essence is Love, manifesting His grace and truth via his sacrificed Lamb, His Son Jesus the Christ, His humanity – though he was sinless, is touched with the feelings of our infirmities (Heb. 4:15), is NOT standing in judgement of you concerning all of your sin (Jn. 12:48, Rom. 14: 10-12, Heb. 9:27), though he knows about it all, but he remains ready in the full power of his Love and Grace to forgive (Psa. 86:5, Lk. 23:34, Jn. 8: 3-11), to restore (Lk. 8: 26-39, Matt. 9: 20-22, Jas. 5:14-15), to revive (Eph. 2:1-8, Rom. 6:13, Rom. 8:11) and renew (Rom. 6:4, IICor. 5:17, Eph. 4:24, Col. 3:10) and to enable and empower (Acts 1:8, Col. 1: 9-14, Eph. 3: 16-19, IITim. 1:7) – this all simply as, among other things, a “down payment” (IICor. 1:22, IICor. 5:5, Eph. 1:14) of the unimaginable and everlasting wonder that lies ahead (ICor. 15: 42-58, IICor. 4:17, Rev. ch.s 19-22, etc.). God’s grace is so much more, there simply are not words in the human, or I suspect any other vocabulary to describe its wonderment; it is better than life itself, and even that description falls short.

So as not to be misunderstood, a condemning and final judgement is the future reality for the unrepentant (Rom. 14:10, IICor. 5:10, Rev. 20: 11-15), but now is the time of God’s grace as “…grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” Jn. 1:17, and “…God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” Jn. 3:17, and Jesus “…came not to judge the world, but to save the world.” Jn. 12:47. God demonstrating His grace in the salvation schematic (Even God, according to his own requirement, presented a Lamb – the manifestation of His otherwise eternal invisible personage (Heb. 1: 1-3) into time and physicality, His only begotten Son (humanity – Psa. 2:7/Acts 13:33, Isa. 9:6, Lk. 1: 34-35, Jn. 1:14, 1:18, 3:16, 3:18), the Word made flesh (Jn. 1:1, 1:14) with the intent on redeeming all mankind (Acts 17:30, ITim. 2:4, IIPet. 3:9), was not a last-minute back-up plan, it was God’s design from the beginning (Heb. 4:3, IPet. 1: 19-20, Rev. 13:8), as God has never erred! Grace is in God’s nature, and he designed a creation and conditions where he could demonstrate it. The dispensation of the Grace of God is now in full swing, and there is a place-setting at the table with your name on it.

H O W E V E R…

There is somewhat of a common, but very serious and ultimately inexcusable misconception of the grace of God held throughout much of what we would call Christian-flavored religious circles today. Misguiding thousands, this error, which is not new by-the-way, is accommodated, embraced and often, subtly or overtly, included into Bible teaching, preaching, and christio-religious literature. Miscomprehending the grace of God, many have misinterpreted its charitable nature and qualities as being “license”. Putting it plainly; many who, for whatever reason, prefer to associate with and profess Christianity, inexplicably live their lives in a manner that forthrightly denies Christ, foolishly claiming “Grace” allows for such a corrupted and unbiblical (sinful) lifestyle. However, we do find in the scripture that God’s grace does its own teaching, and licentiousness is not included in the lesson plan, just the opposite…

Tit. 2: 11-12 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, (12) Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”

Bible readers will know that the above scriptures (Tit. 2: 11-12) well summarizes a central biblical theme, as such it’s lesson and the Bible verses that teach it are replete throughout the gospels and epistles. The admonition to, nay, the requirement of holiness and a godly lifestyle for the Christian is absolutely essential (Heb. 12:14), says grace, but like the one who brought it (Jesus), grace is often abused.

With much thanksgiving for this immeasurable and unspeakably wonderful gift, and for the eternal lifeline that it provides, God’s grace, his unsolicited love, friendliness and willingness to save is to be accepted and fully exploited, that is, utilized that one might realize their full potential in God. To that end the Scripture, in an apropos demonstration of God’s grace, gives us doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness that we may know, among other things, how NOT to attend to God’s grace.

Consider the following…

Turning Grace into lasciviousness

Jude 1:4 “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.“

With regard to our subject matter – the grace of God, the wording of the above scripture (Jude 1:4) is very interesting. Described as if it were some type of reverse alchemy, the perpetrators maliciously abuse God’s grace, as stated they were “turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness”. Obviously, as a disposition issuing forth from God himself, His grace cannot be altered into another form, but it can be mischaracterized, misunderstood, misapplied, mistaught, disrespected, abused, etc., and ultimately, by human contrivance through the flesh is disfigured into something that it is not, in the case of Jude 1:4, it was, and to devastating effect – “…denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ“. The abuse of God’s grace caused this!

It’s interesting to note that the grace Jude makes reference to wasn’t turned into theft or violence or any other sin by the “ungodly men” he mentions, but into “lasciviousness” (Gr.- aselgeia – though usually indicating sexual promiscuity but can also include the wider behavior of general debauchery). Also, was it the effects of a distorted understanding and abuse of grace in the church in Corinth that caused Paul to write the following? “It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you…” ICor. 5:1 (He then, after challenging yet more unchristian behavior, asked, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, (10) …shall inherit the kingdom of God.” ICor. 6: 9-10).

Whether it is a result of that segment of the unregenerated worldly population that oddly enjoys mingling and engaging in church fellowship (IIPet. 2:13), or those in the community of faith who swim a little too deep into their worldly surroundings, or equal parts both, the consequential sin of this murky confluence, that is, the very serious and ruinous sin, is and has been a problem ever since Adam. Again, Paul addresses the church in Corinth “I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: (10) Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. (11) But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.” ICor. 5: 9-11. Though churches down through time have featured their own unique social and cultural climates, grace abuse since the time of Christ remains the same.

There appears to have been serious and similar cases of grace abuse that plagued the two northernmost and neighboring “Revelation” churches of Asia, Pergamos and Thyatira, their proximity to one another quite probably contributing to comparable profiles. Notably similar to today’s all-to-common epidemic of grace abuse, the spiritual subversion at work in Pergamos was achieved through the deceit of false doctrine (Rev. 2:14 “But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.”). As stated, this situation sounds suspiciously similar to the grace abusing conditions at work in the somewhat neighboring church in Thyatira, achieving the same results (Rev 2:20 “Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.“), though Thyatria, under the sway of a Jezebel, yields to the devil-influenced power of a personality. Whether false doctrine or demonic personality, the means for our study here is of secondary importance; the primary objective that the devil desires is the failure of God’s people through the abuse of God’s grace.

It is widely held that, in opposition to libertine trends, Reformation leader Martin Luther coined the term “antinomian” (anti: against, nomian: law – Add the requisite “ism” and you have a false doctrine: “Antinomianism”). This seemingly innocuous teaching simply stated that the New Testament church was under no obligation to adhere to the Old Testament Law of Moses, however it also and errantly maintained that even the moral aspects of The Law could be disregarded. There in the sullied genesis of the current iteration of today’s “faith alone” heresy, Antinomians, the grace abusers that they were, indifferent to sin like their Nicolaitan (Rev. 2:6) forefathers and their contemporary progeny, argued against all godly restraint, as for them “faith alone” accounted for righteousness and salvation, as repentance from sin is denounced as unnecessary works.

I would never argue with the scripture which states “…the love of money is the root of all evil…” (ITim. 6:10). However, I would think that coming in a very, very close second would be the actions caused by that ever-burning fever locked in the loins of the male species, my documental evidence being supplied by the Bible itself. Though the word lascivious (ness) can entail a wider corrupted lifestyle, it is the lewdness and lack of sexual discipline that is most associated with this term. Also, it is interesting yet not surprising to note that whenever the scriptures present a “works of the flesh” list, it is the sexual sins that usually receive top billing (ICor. 6:9, Gal. 5:19, Col. 3:5).

So as not to abuse God’s grace in the manner of Jude’s “certain men”, or those in Corinth, or the churches of Revelation, or today’s “faith alone” antinomians, or even as a slave to one’s own bodily appetites “…turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness…”, God has provided his remedy and warning; “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” Heb. 13:4. Paul’s example of celibacy (ICor. 7:7-8) is utterly out of the question for most, but the continued abuse of God’s grace will result in an even worse fate.

Receiving Grace in vain

ICor. 15: 9-10 “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (10) But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

IICor. 6:1 “We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.”

In the above verses it appears that Paul is implying that “work” (or as he says, “laboured” or “workers”) is the antithesis and remedy to receiving the grace of God in vain.

It is one thing to not receive/accept the grace of God at all, that is, to not believe and obey the gospel, refusing to submit to the will of God for one’s life. This rejection of God’s grace carries its own consequences and that may be another subject for another time. However, to in fact “receive” the grace of God, that is to hear and obey the initial requisites of salvation, but then continue to live in a manner that neither acknowledges nor demonstrates any sign of God’s grace is truly receiving the grace of God in vain. However, the apostle Paul takes it a step further as work for God’s kingdom is shown to be the true measure and proper reciprocation for God’s grace in one’s life, without which it can be said God’s grace is rendered vain (empty, useless). Just as Jude’s “certain men” (Jude 1:4 above) turned the grace of God into lasciviousness, so a “workless” believer turns the grace of God into nothingness.

In a previous post (The “Measure” of the Gift”), I explored the idea that it is God’s grace and our acceptance and engagement of that grace which not only provides for our salvation but determines our individual role and functionality in His kingdom. The apostle Paul said as much in the verses above (ICor. 15: 9-10) where he states, “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (10) But by the grace of God I am what I am…” referring not only to his calling as an apostle, but to the unlikeliness and his unworthiness of said calling thus magnifying God’s grace. Then in saying “…his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured…“, Paul indicates that it is his (Paul’s) labor which demonstrates that the grace of God was not “wasted” on him.

And still further where Paul says, “…I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”, he makes reference not only to his work, but to the volume of his work, which continues to this day (as The Apostle to the Gentiles, Rom. 11:13, 15: 15-16, even today’s gentiles, the Pauline epistles remain foundational), citing God’s grace as his enabler. It is worth noting here that it is God’s grace and not man’s ambition that regulates his calling, gifting, position, direction and empowering, etc. in the accomplishment of the will of God for his life, as even his initial aspirations are first molded in heaven then graciously deposited into his spirit. It is no boast, but an observation, that Paul makes in comparing the volume of his work with his fellow apostles as he cites “…the grace of God which was with me.”, his self-evaluation having been previously recorded in v. 9 –“For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” Paul, both in his exemplary life and teaching, presenting a masterclass on how NOT to receive the grace of God in vain.

So, it is ultimately God, who by his grace employs and regulates his workers, and whether voluminous or modest, through humble, obedient servitude we work knowing that a single blade of green grass is equally as fruitful as a grape-bearing vine, both fulfilling their specific purpose.

“If I Can Help Somebody” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDGylTKxeFw

Insulting the Spirit of Grace

Heb 10:26-31 “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, (27) But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. (28) He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: (29) Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? (30) For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. (31) It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

The wider context above (Heb. 10: 26-31) which describes what can only be considered an ultimate act of Grace Abuse (v.29) and alluding to its subsequent punishment, is chilling to say the least. Among other things, these verses demonstrate just how seriously God considers the abusing of his grace to be and would also indicate that it would perhaps be better to not even start out with God rather than start and then stop, or as the apostle Peter puts it, “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. (21) For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. (22) But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” IIPet. 2:20-22.

To do “despite to the Spirit of grace” does not infer simply an ignorance or even a rejection of God remaining in a life of sin necessarily, though refusing God’s call does carry with it its own woeful fate. As with other grace abuse scenarios, it is those who have “known the way of righteousness” as Peter states it, who, abusing God’s grace, afterward willfully departs from it. Where a devout worshipping Christian thankfully exalts and adores his Savior Jesus the Son of God, one doing despite to the Spirit of grace tramples him under his feet. For those who understand the gospel of Jesus Christ, no greater physical substance has been produced in the world than the atoning blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God, as one drop of His blood is enough to save all mankind from eternal damnation, but one doing despite to the Spirit of Grace dismisses this, considering His blood to be insignificant (Heb. 10:29). This all after having been a beneficiary of both His body and blood, having been forgiven of all sin and given a new and eternal life.

With regard to the abuse of God’s grace described in the above scriptural scenario, most Bible versions translate the phrase “done despite to” into the more commonly used term “insult”. It might be concluded that Judas Iscariot insulted the grace of God; having been called and included into the lofty select group of “The Twelve”, Judas distinguishes himself among the apostolic brethren only by his thieving greed (Jn. 12: 4-6) and ultimately his woeful treachery (Matt. 26: 14-16, Lk. 22:48), then “…falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.”

Embracing Jesus and having been transformed by the power of God, one is forever changed, there is no going back to the way things used to be. Redeemed from a life of sin and given an eternal promise, one continues to grow and become increasingly aware and appreciative of God’s motive in bestowing such an unspeakable gift – simply His Grace. Or one doesn’t, later rejecting the grace of God with the intent on returning to his former Godless self, but that self no longer exists, and disaster awaits; “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. (44) Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. (45) Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first…”

Insulting, disrespecting, doing despite to the grace of God has its consequences. Rejecting Christ after having been brought into the fold, one makes themself vulnerable to the roving wolf pack so-to-speak. If one is invited to remain in God’s eternal and wonderful kingdom, been given entrance into the throne room and granted an ongoing one-on-one audience with the King of kings, been given healing by the Great Physician, been led, cared and provided for by the Good Shepherd, shown the way, purpose and meaning of life by the Creator, redeemed by The Savior, then later says “thanks, but no thanks” opting instead for the vomit and the mire, what do you think is going to happen?

Again, “For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. IIPet. 2:21.

Sinning against Grace

Rom 6: 1-2 “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? (2) God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Rom 6:14-15 “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. (15) What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.”

This particular Grace Abuse, sinning against God’s grace, is epidemic throughout much of the Christio-religious denominal world today. This grievous error continues to hamstring professing practitioners of faith, sadly and alarmingly because it is taught as a fundamental doctrine in their churches. Again, refer to the first sub-section above (Turning Grace into Lasciviousness) for information on Antinomianism and the “doctrine of Balaam” and “that woman Jezebel” for insight into this insidious subversion of truth.

The failure of Americanized Christio-religion, and to a wider extent “cultural Christianity” anywhere, to properly (scripturally) address the human sin problem in their faith communities has yielded calamitous results leading to the accommodation of, rather than repentance from sin. By refusing the biblical prescription for remedy (Acts 2:38, 22:16), and rather embracing the sin-accommodating false doctrines of license, sin and all of its deleterious effects, not the least of which is spiritual blindness, is allowed to run rampant among professing believers; unable to escape sin’s grasp, compromises are then made.

The message of the featured scripture verses of this subsection (Rom. 6: 1-2, 14-15) is unambiguous, yea, this fundamental theme of the whole Bible is clear; “Thou shalt not”; and from the earliest days the enemy slithers in and offers the doubtful “…hath God said, Ye shall not…?” Redefining grace as license, and then bolstered by the common heresies of “easy believe-ism” with its repeat-after-me “salvation” prayer, and her heretical sister, the “once-saved-always-saved” fallacy, sin is never properly addressed among major swaths of church-going congregants, resulting in assemblies full of the spiritually dead (and unsaved). For willful sinners and the unregenerate, His “sinned against” grace will NOT be sufficient.

Regressing from Grace (O foolish Galatians)

Gal. 1:6 “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:”

Gal 2:21 “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

Gal 5:4 “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”

“…removed from him that called (them) into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:”, the churches in the region of Galatia (Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe) were regressing – subscribing to the fleshly Judean seductions of “another gospel” as diagnosed by the apostle Paul, accounting for his alarming tone in their namesake epistle. Though a pharisee of some repute, Paul had thoroughly renounced his Mosaic religion and life, counting it but dung that he may win Christ (Php. 3: 4-8). This suited him well as the God-ordained apostle to the gentiles (Rom. 11:13, 15:16, Gal. 2: 7-8), allowing him to quickly recognize and expose the ever-encroaching legalisms of the Old Testament Law of Moses.

Paul championed liberty from circumcision and the Law and spoke fiercely against those who would shepherd believers back under its “yoke of bondage”. However, it wasn’t the wholesale abandonment of the faith that plagued the Galatians, but it was a compromising adulteration with the fleshly, religious, works-oriented Judaism (i.e. the Law of Moses and Abrahamic circumcision). The apostle clarifies that this “another gospel” was really a perversion of the one and only true gospel of Christ (Gal. 1: 6-7).

When considering the record of Jesus’ ministry per the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) and that of the early church (Acts and the epistles), it becomes evident that one of the biggest obstacles, if not the biggest obstacle to the message of God’s “Law-free” grace was the Law-keeping, Judaizing, Christio-Jews. Though addressed briefly in other epistles by Paul, this issue appeared to be his primary concern for the churches in Galatia, as he wastes no time diving right into the local controversy as recorded in chapter 1, verses 6 and 7 “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: (7) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.”

The Gospel of Jesus Christ emerged out of Israel wrapped in a cloak of Judean culture, this is understandable as Paul said “…the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ” adding “…but after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.” (Gal. 3: 24-25). However, it appears that many in Galatia, influenced by the Judaizers, remained inordinately attached to the old, inefficacious schoolmaster, believing the gospel of Christ to be an inadequate covenant on its own merits and zealously insisting that adherence to the Law and circumcision were also essential for salvation (Gal. 4:17, Acts 15:1).

We can note that the churches of Galatia were not unique in this error as it is addressed by Paul to others (Romans, Philippians, Timothy, Titus), and I presume that zealous Judaizers posed an ongoing challenge throughout the early church, particularly in those areas with a heavy Jewish presence. The further a church was away from Jerusalem and the sphere of Judean influence, the less the Judaizers affected them (Corinth, Thessalonica), excepting for Rome, an “international city” and world capitol at the time.

It’s very interesting to read that while visiting Antioch (Paul’s base of operations), the apostle Peter and Barnabas along with others, remained under the sway of the Judaizers as “they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel”, Paul then reproving them for their hypocrisy (Gal. 2: 11-14). Also, James, the bishop of the church in Jerusalem and brother of Jesus, seems to have adhered to a hybrid faith+law combo (Acts 21: 17-24) to some degree. I assume these were temporary anomalies that worked themselves out over time, but perhaps not as even today there remains a large community of messianic Jews who embrace both the Christian and Jewish religions to varying degrees.

Today, particularly among the gentile church, the Law of Moses and Abrahamic circumcision holds very little “literal” sway over the practice of Bible-based faith and trust in Jesus, but somewhat like an anti-type of the Law and its fleshly confidence, trust in and insistence on Law-like legalisms and formalism often does (hold sway). These “commandments and doctrines of men” can then form a religious structure upon which confidence is errantly placed and from which judgements are mercilessly executed.

Make no mistake, the greater threat to the health of the church is the declination towards the pride and pollutions of worldliness and fleshly carnality, however at the other end of that spectrum, one to which many swing, is an inordinate confidence and a rigid law-like adherence to, and insistence on formalism, fleshly religion and the various ordinances of man, these too are an exercise in fleshly (religious) carnality. Understand that Jesus’ interactions with the Pharisees (Matt. 15: 1-20, Matt. 23: 23-28, etc.) are included in the gospels for a very good reason, as an assumed (self) righteousness coupled with discounting others, and that from a position of inordinate zealousness towards formalism and the traditions and doctrines of man (preoccupation with the outside of the cup and platter to the neglect of the inside), is among other things, a regressive understanding and misrepresentation of God’s grace.

Failing Grace

Heb 12:15-17 “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; (16) Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. (17) For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.”

As we’ve explored, the neglect to walk in the grace of God can manifest in many different ways and conditions and all of these can be considered our failure of the grace of God. Hebrews 12:15 (above) offers a remedy to this failure; “Looking diligently…”. Certainly, the scripture verses before and after this 2-word phrase offer context, however the simple instruction “looking diligently”, that is, giving diligent attendance to the core disciplines of our Christian walk (prayer, Bible reading/study, prayer, godly lifestyle, prayer, Church/fellowship, prayer, witnessing/ministry, prayer, fasting, prayer etc.) is key to spiritual health and remaining and growing in God’s grace.

The pre-occupying world and our own human proclivities are only all too accommodating of our spiritual neglect. If the fleshly man’s inclination to drift from those first-learned basic practices of his Christian discipleship is not forcefully subdued, he stands to risk failing the grace of God as the second clause of Heb, 12:15 states (“…lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;”), indicating that one’s internal world is equally susceptible to grace failure as one’s external world. In the soil of the garden of the human heart weeds can grow of their own accord, diligence is required to keep them plucked as the failing of God’s grace truly begins there. You may not be murdering, bank-robbing or whore-chasing outwardly, but what about inwardly? Jesus indicated that outer mandates of the Law were now transferred to the inner motivations of the heart. Matt. 5: 21-48.

Eph. 3:16 “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;”

Pro. 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

Work your “garden” daily.

God’s grace is magnanimous, faithful, and abundant.

IJn. 2:1 “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:”

Rom. 6:14 “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”

This article was first inspired by the misguided and unbiblical idea, held by many, that God’s grace (unto salvation) allows for and even accommodates careless, willful sin as a lifestyle. This idea is prevalent among unregenerated “cultural Christians” whose so-called faith is mostly just a loosely held philosophy. Among these, there is also the Bible-thumping eisegete, ever-twisting and mishandling the scripture in order to preserve long-held traditions and doctrinal error, and to excuse and even validate sin.

Everybody retains the potential to abuse God’s grace; though God is affronted, any lasting injury of grace-abuse is not bore by God, but by the abuser, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Gal. 6:7. However, upon one’s authentic repentance of this error, like the prodigal son (Lk. 15: 11-32), his return to his father is met with yet more GRACE, in fact, in the prodigal son’s case the door of grace was never closed throughout his whole ordeal. “And when he came to himself” is how the scripture describes the prodigal son’s moment of repentant clarity, prompting his return to the ever-waiting grace of his father. And when he returned, he did not bring the pig slop back to his father’s house with him. In fact, “…the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:” these being emblematic of his restored life. “And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: as he is now eating the father’s food.

“For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.”

All brought to you by God’s wonderful GRACE!

GS